JPH11187369A - Video telephone system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a video telephone system capable of informing a communication opposite party that a user can not send speech to the communication opposite party. SOLUTION: A control part 12 sends a control signal to a speech processing part 10 at the time of detecting that the state of a switching switch 6 is switched to a speech interrupted state. In response to the input of the control signal, the part 10 stops the compression of speech inputted from a microphone 4, output to a multiplex-separating part 11, the restoration of received speech data and output to a speaker 5. At the same time, a part 12 controls the part 11 to stop the multiplexing processing of speech data. In addition, control data showing the stop of the speech signal is outputted to the part 11, which multiplexes control data with other data to send to the communication opposite party.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a video telephone capable of simultaneously transferring voice, moving images, characters and images.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Videophones are used for the purpose of improving communication by transmitting video, character data, and the like along with audio, and for transmitting more information more accurately. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 2-276389 discloses that image information input from an image detecting unit that captures a handwritten character or a picture using a light pen is converted into a signal, stored, displayed on a display, and transmitted on a display. A technique is described in which an image obtained by combining a video from a camera with a character or a picture by operation is transmitted to a communication partner.

[0003] When making a call using a telephone, particularly when using a portable telephone, there is a case where bothers are troubled when talking on a train or in crowded places. However, since a videophone has a function of transmitting characters and images, information can be transmitted without voice. In addition, by simultaneously transmitting a moving image and characters or images, the expression of the other party can be understood, and communication can be facilitated.

[0004]

However, since the conventional video telephone apparatus does not have a function of informing the communication partner of the state of the transmission side, the state in which the transmission side cannot output sound or the state in which sound cannot be transmitted to the communication partner is not provided. There is a problem that the communication partner does not know even if it is in. In other words, it is conceivable that the receiving side does not know the state of the transmitting side, thereby hindering communication. Further, even when the voice data is not required because the voice cannot be transmitted to the other party due to a situation where the voice cannot be produced or the noise is so severe that the voice is not transmitted to the other party, the voice data is transmitted. For this reason, there is a problem that a bit rate is assigned to transmission of unnecessary audio data, and the bit rate is not effectively used.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a videophone device that can notify a communication partner that a user cannot transmit voice to the communication partner. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-160280 discloses a videophone device provided with a switch for interrupting audio, but the device transmits audio and still images while switching between them. Stopping audio is part of the original function. Therefore, such a videophone device cannot be treated in the same manner as a videophone device capable of simultaneously transferring voice, moving images, and characters and images.

[0006]

A video telephone apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a voice input / output unit; an image information input / output unit; voice information from the voice input unit and image information from the image information input / output unit. Multiplexing / demultiplexing means for multiplexing and transmitting and separating the received multiplexed signal into audio information and image information and outputting the same to audio input means and image information input / output means. Switching instruction input means for instructing stop and restart, and upon receiving an audio stop instruction from the switching instruction input means, stops the multiplexing processing of the sound by the multiplexing / demultiplexing means and transmits control data to the multiplexing / demultiplexing means. Control means for outputting
The separating unit is configured to multiplex the control data into a transmission signal when the control data is input from the control unit.

The video telephone apparatus outputs control data to the control means when the multiplexing / demultiplexing means separates the control data from the received multiplexed signal. When the control means inputs the control data from the multiplexing / demultiplexing means, the multiplexing / demultiplexing means outputs the control data. It may be configured to stop the multiplexing process of the sound by the separating means.

[0008] The multiplexing / demultiplexing means may be configured to stop the multiplexing process of the audio and increase the bit rate of the image information.

Further, the video telephone apparatus has a radio section for transmitting a multiplexed signal from the multiplexing / demultiplexing means to the other apparatus by radio and outputting a radio signal received from the other apparatus to the multiplexing / demultiplexing means. Is also good.

[0010] Further, display means may be provided for outputting information indicating the stop of the sound to the operator when the multiplexing / separating means stops the sound multiplexing process. The image information input / output means further comprises storage means for storing visible information indicating audio stop, wherein the image information input / output means combines the information in the storage means with the image information when the multiplexing / demultiplexing means stops the audio multiplexing process. May be configured to be displayed. That is, the display means may be realized by the image information input / output means.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the videophone device according to the present invention. FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1, the videophone device includes a touch panel 3, a camera 1, and a microphone 4. Character / image data input from the touch panel 3, moving images captured by the camera 1, and audio input from the microphone 4 are data-compressed by the data processing unit 9, the video processing unit 7, and the audio processing unit 10, respectively. Multiplexed by the multiplexing / demultiplexing unit 11. Then, the data is converted into a signal corresponding to the communication network 17 by the data terminal (the modem 16 in this example) and transmitted to the communication partner.

On the receiving side, the data received by the modem 16 is separated by the multiplexing / separating unit 11 into an audio signal, a moving image signal and a character / image signal. The audio signal is data-expanded by the audio processing unit 10, the audio is output from the speaker 5, the moving image signal is data-expanded by the video processing unit 7, and the moving image is displayed on the LCD 2. The character / image signal is decompressed by the data processing unit 9 and the character / image is displayed on the LCD 2 via the memory 8. The changeover switch 6 is a switch for canceling transmission of an audio signal and enabling transmission of only a moving image and characters / images. In response to the operation of the changeover switch 6, the control unit 12 controls to stop transmitting the audio signal.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the videophone device according to the present invention. The videophone device shown in FIG. 2 has a radio unit 13 and a multiplexing / demultiplexing unit 1.
The multiplexed signal from 1 is transmitted by radio, and the multiplexed signal from the other party is received by the radio unit 13. The videophone device shown in FIG. 2 is suitable for being carried by a user.

Next, the operation when transmitting data will be described. Referring to FIG. 1 or FIG. 2, when a videophone call is transmitted to the other party, a moving image is photographed by the camera 1 and the moving image data is compressed by the video processing unit 7.
The compressed moving image data is input to the multiplexing / demultiplexing unit 11. The character / image data input from the touch panel 3 is sent to the data processing unit 9. The data processing unit 9 compresses the input character / image data and sends it to the multiplexing / separating unit 11, and stores the character / image data in the memory 8.
The voice input from the microphone 4 is transmitted to the voice processing unit 1
0, and is sent to the multiplexing / demultiplexing unit 11. The control unit 12 multiplexes control data such as the type of multiplexed data.
Output to the separation unit 11. The multiplexing / separating unit 11 multiplexes the input moving image data, audio data, character / image data, and control data. The multiplexed signal is transmitted via the modem 16 or the radio unit 13.

Next, the operation at the time of reception will be described.
The data received by the radio unit 13 or the modem 16 is output to the multiplexing / separating unit 11, where the data is separated into moving image data, audio data, character / image data, and control data. The video data is output to the video processing unit 7 and restored by the video processing unit 7. The video processing unit 7 combines the restored video with the contents of the memory 8 and outputs the synthesized video to the LCD 2.

The character / image data is sent from the multiplexing / demultiplexing unit 11 to the data processing unit 9, and is restored by the data processing unit 9. The character / image data restored by the data processing unit 9 is
The information is stored in the memory 8 and sent to the video processing unit 7 to be displayed on the LCD 2 together with the moving image. Multiplexing / demultiplexing unit 11
The audio data separated by is restored by the audio processing unit 10 and audio is output from the speaker 5. The control data is input to the control unit 12. The control unit 12 controls each unit such as the video processing unit 7 and the multiplexing / demultiplexing unit 11 based on the control data.

Next, the operation in the case where the sound is cut off by switching the changeover switch 6 will be described. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, when the operator of the videophone device is in a situation where sound cannot be output or when it is determined that there is no need to transmit sound, a changeover switch for performing sound cutoff is provided. 6 can be operated. When detecting that the state of the changeover switch 6 has been switched to the sound cutoff state, the control unit 12 sends a control signal to the sound processing unit 10.

The audio processing unit 10 stops the compression of the audio input from the microphone 4, the output to the multiplexing / demultiplexing unit 11, the restoration of the received audio data, and the output to the speaker 5 in response to the input of the control signal. I do. At the same time, the control unit 12
Controls the multiplexing / demultiplexing unit 11 to stop the multiplexing processing of the audio data. Also, it outputs control data indicating the stop of the audio signal to the multiplexing / demultiplexing unit 11. Multiplexing / demultiplexing unit 1
1 multiplexes control data with other data and transmits the multiplexed control data to a communication partner.

On the receiving side, the control data indicating the stop of the sound is separated by the multiplexing / separating unit 11. The control data is sent to the control unit 12. When the control data for stopping the audio signal is input, the control unit 12 controls the audio processing unit 10 to stop the compression of the input audio and the output of the audio to the speaker 5. The multiplexing / demultiplexing unit 11 is controlled so as to stop multiplexing of audio. Further, by turning on the LED 14,
Notify the recipient that audio transmission has stopped.

When the multiplexing of audio is stopped on both the transmitting side and the receiving side, the control unit 12 controls the multiplexing / demultiplexing unit 11 to change the bit rates of the moving image data and the character / image data.
Can be controlled. The bit rate vacated by stopping the transmission of audio data is allocated to the transmission of moving image data and character / image data, and
The transmission speed of image data can be improved.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a change in the transmission speed. As shown in the upper part of FIG. 3, when L bits of audio data, M bits of moving image data, and N bits of character / image data can be transmitted per second, when the audio data is stopped, the L bits are transmitted to other data. It becomes possible to assign. Therefore, as shown in the lower part of FIG. 3, for example, by assigning α bits of the vacant L bits to moving image data and L-α bits to character / image data, the transmission speed of each data is improved. be able to.

To restart the transmission of the sound from the sound cutoff state, the operator switches the changeover switch 6.
Then, the control unit 12 detects the switching, and the sound processing unit 1
0 is controlled so as to compress the audio signal input from the microphone 4, output to the multiplexing / demultiplexing unit 11, restore the received audio data, and restart the output to the speaker 5. The multiplexing / demultiplexing unit 11 is controlled so as to restart the multiplexing / demultiplexing of the audio data. Further, control data indicating that voice transmission is performed is transmitted to the receiving side. On the receiving side, when control data indicating the start of voice transmission is received,
The control unit 12 controls the audio processing unit 10 and the multiplexing / demultiplexing unit 11 to restart the transmission of audio. Further, when the bit rate of the audio data is assigned to the moving image data and the character / image data on both the transmitting side and the receiving side, the bit rates of the moving image data and the character / image data are reduced.

As described above, in the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, by stopping the transmission of the audio signal, it is possible to allocate more bit rates to the moving image and the character / image data. This makes it possible to increase the transmission speed of moving images and character / image data. Therefore,
In a state where the user cannot output sound, communication can be smoothly performed with the moving image and the character / image information, and high-speed moving image and character / image transmission can be performed as needed.

In the above-described embodiment, the touch panel 5 is used as input means of character / image data. However, the input means of character / image data is used for reading a file stored in a keyboard or a storage medium. Other input means may be used.

Further, when the transmitting side performs the process of cutting off the voice, the transmission of the voice data from the transmitting side is stopped and the transmission of the voice data from the communication partner is also stopped. It is also possible to control so that transmission of voice data from the communication partner is continued by stopping only data and not transmitting control data to the communication partner. When such control is performed, it is possible to make a call without giving a voice to the surroundings by responding with characters or images while listening to the voice of the other party with the earphone. In this case, the bit rate of the audio data is assigned to the moving image and the character / image data in the transmission from the transmission side, but since the audio data is transmitted from the communication partner, the moving image and the character / image data from the communication partner are transmitted. Bit rate slows down.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a third embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 4, the message memory 15
Is a memory in which a message or image indicating that transmission of audio has stopped is stored. When the sound is stopped on the transmission side and the reception side, the control unit 12
It instructs the video processing unit 7 to read the contents of the message memory 15 and combine the contents with the screen output to the LCD 2. In response to the instruction, the video processing unit 7 displays on the LCD 2 a message or an image indicating that audio transmission has stopped. In this way, the operator can be notified of the message indicating that the sound has stopped via the screen of the LCD 2.

In place of the operation of the changeover switch 6, the sound is cut off by specific data sent from the character / image data input means to the data processing section 9, for example, the operator selects a specific range using the touch panel 3. And restart can also be entered. When such specific data is input, the data processing unit 9 sends a signal to the control unit 12 to switch between shutting off and restarting the sound. And the control unit 1
Reference numeral 2 controls the transmission of audio in the same manner as in the above-described embodiment.

[0028]

As described above, according to the present invention, the videophone device is provided with the switching instruction input means for instructing the stop and restart of the audio, and receives the audio stop instruction from the switching instruction input means. Since the transmission of voice is stopped and the control data indicating the stop of the voice is transmitted to the communication partner, it is possible to inform the communication partner that the voice has stopped, and the communication using only moving images, characters, and images can be performed smoothly. Will be able to Therefore, even when the user cannot hear a voice in a train or in a public area or cannot hear his / her own voice due to noise, it is possible to smoothly communicate with the communication partner by using images and characters. . In this case, since the other party can be confirmed by the video, communication can be performed using characters or images without any discomfort.

When the control data is received, if the multiplexing / demultiplexing means is configured to stop the multiplexing of the sound, there is an effect that the communication partner can also stop the sound transmission.

In the case where the audio multiplexing process is stopped and the bit rate of the image information is increased, the transmission speed of the moving image, character / image data is improved when the audio is not transmitted. This makes it possible to transmit moving images, character / image data at high speed as needed.

When the videophone device is provided with a radio unit, the videophone is portable, and the user cannot hear his or her own voice due to noise or noise in the train or in front of the user. The effect of the audio stop when in the state becomes more effective.

Further, when the multiplexing / demultiplexing means is configured to output the information indicating the stop of the voice to the operator when the multiplexing process of the voice is stopped, the user, especially the other party's side, is output. There is an effect that the user can immediately recognize that the voice is stopped. Further, a storage unit for storing visible information indicating audio stop is further provided, and when the information in the storage unit is configured to be combined with the image information and displayed during the audio stop, the screen in use is displayed. The user can immediately recognize that the voice is stopped.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of a videophone device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the videophone device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a change in transmission speed.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a third embodiment of the videophone device according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 camera 2 LCD 3 touch panel 4 microphone 5 speaker 6 changeover switch 7 video processing unit 8 memory 9 data processing unit 10 audio processing unit 11 multiplexing / demultiplexing unit 12 control unit 13 wireless unit 15 message memory

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. An audio input / output unit, an image information input / output unit, and a multiplex that transmits and receives multiplexed audio information from the audio input unit and image information from the image information input / output unit. Switching for instructing stop and restart of audio in a videophone device provided with a multiplexing / demultiplexing unit that separates a signal into audio information and image information and outputs the signal to the audio input unit and the image information input / output unit An instruction input unit; and a control unit configured to, upon receiving an audio stop instruction from the switching instruction input unit, stop the audio multiplexing process of the multiplexing / demultiplexing unit and output control data to the multiplexing / demultiplexing unit. The video telephone apparatus, wherein the multiplexing / demultiplexing unit multiplexes the control data into a transmission signal when the control data is input from the control unit. 2. The multiplexing / demultiplexing means outputs control data to the control means when the control data is separated from the received multiplexed signal. The control means receives the control data from the multiplexing / demultiplexing means and outputs the control data. 2. The videophone device according to claim 1, wherein the multiplexing process of the audio by the separating means is stopped. 3. The videophone apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the multiplexing / demultiplexing means stops the multiplexing of the audio and increases the transmission speed of the image information. 4. A radio unit for transmitting a multiplexed signal from a multiplexing / demultiplexing unit to a partner device by radio and outputting a radio signal received from the partner device to the multiplexing / separating unit. Item 4. The videophone device according to Item 3. 5. The videophone apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a display unit that outputs information indicating that the audio is stopped to the operator when the multiplexing / demultiplexing unit stops the audio multiplexing process. . 6. An image information input / output unit comprising: a storage unit for storing visible information indicating a sound stop; wherein the image information input / output unit stores information in the storage unit when the multiplexing / demultiplexing unit stops the sound multiplexing process. 6. The videophone device according to claim 5, wherein the videophone device displays the image information combined with image information.